March 12--The Cubs take on the White Sox this afternoon at Sloan Park in the first of two Cactus League meetings between the city rivals.
The game will be televised on WGN-Ch. 9, with new Sox play-by-play man Jason Benetti making his debut.
The Cubs and Sox split last year's regular season series, 3-3, but will play only four games this year-- back-to-back two-game series at the Cell and Wrigley Field on July 25-28.
Manager Joe Maddon said Saturday he enjoyed his first experience with the Cubs-Sox rivalry, especially after experiencing the alleged Rays-Marlins rivalry in Florida.
"For years they were trying to make the Rays vs. the Marlins a rivalry, which I thought was contrived, and wasn't necessarily true," Maddon said. "Obviously the Cubs and the White Sox are for real... I love being approach by the White Sox fans. They give me a hard time about what's happening recently, but then again everyone is respectful and says 'Nice going' and all this stuff, 'We're going to get you.'
"I get it. I really think that's pretty cool. It's legit. I'm glad that it's there."
Jason Hammel will start against White Sox right-hander Erik Johnson.
Here's the Cubs lineup:
Fowler CF
Heyward RF
Candelario 3B
Rizzo 1B
Andreoli LF
Federowicz C
Ross DH
Negron SS
Kawasaki 2B
